1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of specialized housings in general, and in particular to a see through refrigerator door construction which normally presents a mirrored reflection from the refrigerator door.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,279,558; 4,072,486; 4,475,031; and 5,589,958, the prior art is replete with viewing windows having varying degrees of transparency for observing the contents of cupboards, room, refrigerators and ranges.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are almost uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical selective see through viewing panel on a refrigerator to observe the contents of the refrigerator.
Furthermore, while U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,072,486, and 5,589,486 employ various degrees of opacity to obscure the contents of the refrigerator, these schemes do not produce the aesthetically pleasing and functional features that are to be found in the present invention.
In most modern kitchens, aesthetic considerations are of a primary concern as is the conservation of energy. Furthermore, given today's lifestyles, one of the last places that a person occupies for any appreciable amount of time before leaving a residence is the kitchen. Since most kitchens are not provided with mirrors, many people will make a last second detour to a room equipped with a mirror to check their appearance before departing. In the alternative, those same individuals will rely on a shiny or slightly reflective surface in the kitchen to save time; however, they can only rely on a distorted and/or weak reflected image to check their appearance.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved type of see through refrigerator door construction which employs a one-way mirror panel such that the user can selectively employ the normal mirror image, except for those times when they wish to inspect the contents of the refrigerator before opening the refrigerator door, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.